A Step on the Planks

Quiet here. The brown strands hang over my eyes, filtering the warm indoor light into soft amber stripes. I paused, testing my weight. My front paw lifted, then pressed down against the wooden grain beneath me. It yielded a faint, solid creak. Across the planks, a small pink pet cushion sat waiting in the corner. I lowered my head, took one slow, deliberate pace forward, and nudged the soft velour edge of the cushion with my snout. It sank inward, soft and silent. I stood firmly beside it, letting the stillness settle again.